The Argument for Open Dining Rooms

I get less and less push back when I suggest opening kitchens to the dining room than I used to.  I also get more requests to take that barrier down because of the open concepts that many people want for today’s lifestyle.  As popular as open concept living has become, there are still many sceptics out there- you know who you are… so I put the top 3 objections down that people use to deny the need for open dining.  If you have a home with ample room to keep a separate formal living space- and you know you will use it, you are not the focus of this week’s blog.

One of the first objections I hear when people do not want to consider this is, “it will hurt re-sale value”. That couldn’t be farther from the truth (insert caveat) if you plan an open concept that allows the dining table to work for family meal time, and give the furniture a defined area that looks just as purposeful when the long candlesticks are glowing with ambiance. In a good design, the definition of space tells everyone- “this is where we will dine”.   And if you were selling your home today, wouldn’t you want the open plan that everyone else wants?

Another reason people tell me this will not work for them is because it is “trendy”.  If you read my blog, you know there is a difference between trendy and trends… and this is a long term trend, just like stainless appliances that were supposed to go away 15 years ago, and open kitchens that were surely a bad idea… I mean, who will really want to hang out in the kitchen, RIGHT? Open dining is just another part of casual living, which is a result of our busy lives blending with our desire to make being together as simple as possible.   When we entertain, even our friends love being part of the entire food experience.

The other (and third most common) objection I hear is that the open concept is a contemporary idea, and will not work with a traditional style.  Lately, we have done a few very beautiful contemporary kitchens, and our prospective clients have used this as ammunition against us to prove it is only for modern kitchens!    So we went and photographed this traditional Wellesley kitchen yesterday…. And look at how easy it is going to be for that traditional Thanksgiving Day feast, and to put some of the food on the counter in the dining room.  That counter can also work if you have the entire lacrosse team over for breakfast and need a spot for overflow muffins.  You also have a well-designed space that is easy to sit at and enjoy some family time with the open concept living you really wanted.

Please take a look at our portfolio, and see the traditional and modern kitchens that have open dining!